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Basic phone connections up to three separate phone lines can be carried by one cat5 cable. blue wires are often used for the primary phone line, but it doesn’t matter which pair you use as long as it’s consistent from one end of the cable to the other. RJ11 Plugs DON’T TAke SHOrTcuTS wHeN ruNNINg LOw-vOLTAge cAbLeS; FOLLOw THe cODe Although low-voltage wiring doesn’t carry enough power to electrocute you, a sloppy installation can create nicks in adjacent low-voltage and line-voltage cables. This can lead to line voltages running unexpectedly through low-voltage cables, posing a serious risk of electrocution or fire. Structured wiring panels 1 untwist three of the four pairs of wires, arrange them using the chart (facing page), and clip the ends 1⁄2 in. from the sheathing. 2 Insert the ordered wires into the fitting; then secure them with the crimpers to complete the termination. RJ11 wall Plates Separate line- and low-voltage cables with code-approved workbox dividers Watch out for crosstalk 1 strip about 1⁄2 in. off the sheathing on the pair of blue wires so that they can be wrapped on a screw terminal. 2 attach the solid-blue wire to the red terminal and the striped-blue wire to the green terminal on the back of the jack. www.finehomebuilding.com Never run low- and line-voltage cables into the same workbox unless there is a code-approved divider. You also never should route low- and line-voltage cables through the same holes or share staples. If the cables became chafed during the installation, the low-voltage wires could present shock and fire hazards. Finally, maintain a gap between parallel cables. If they must cross paths, have them do so at a 90° angle to minimize overlap. Drilling holes in wall framing Holes can’t be larger than 40% of the stud depth in loadbearing walls (60% in nonbearing walls), or larger than one-third the height of the framing member. They can be anywhere along the length of a joist, rafter, header, or beam, but they must be a minimum of 2 in. from the top and bottom edges of the wood, and at least 2 in. away from any other holes. Any holes made at floor and ceiling levels must be sealed to create a fire barrier between floors, and any holes within 11 ⁄4 in. of the edge of the framing member must be protected with a 1⁄16 metal plate to prevent damage from errant fasteners. -in.-thick june/july 2010 77 Holes at floor and ceiling levels must be fire-sealed. Structured wiring panels are a dedicated point of convergence for all your home audio, video, and data systems. These boxes are usually one part of a family of components designed to work together. My favorite system is OnQ, made by Legrand. Traditionally, low-voltage cable is run from one jack to the next in a series, but a structured wiring panel allows for a better method of wiring. The “home run” method, which uses a single length of cable from the panel to each intended location, uses more cable and takes longer to install, but it greatly increases signal quality. Structured wiring panel Cross lineand lowvoltage cables at a 90° angle. Keep parallel lineand low- voltage cables at least 8 in. apart.